Gardeners' Notes:

I am sad that the discussion I had hoped to begin was lost and or ignored. There are forms of the so-called Confederate Rose of the species H. mutabilis that are most likely H. paramutabilis. They all are very similar and some may ask "why bother?". One reason is that one may have a much longer bloom period...(as may be the case for H. paramutabilis). Well, having been in the retail nursery business for the last 15 years or so and another 20 years of plant experience before that it makes a big difference when I cannot find the plant I am looking for because some nurseryman decides to give it a name other than what it is!

At any rate please go to this web site for the South China Botanical Garden Herbarium (IBSC) through ... read moreofollow">http://www.efloras.org
The species description has two significant items. One is that the leaves are 5-7 lobed, occaisionally 3lobed. The flower is predominantly white with a red center.

Apparently from other sources there are also pink forms. See one listed as Shanghai Pink (www.plantsdelight.com) also see a form which they are calling Shanghai Red-Eye which is much more like the species type. (I have no association to plantsdelight.com it is just that they have the perfect comparison for this species cvs.!) What is even more believable is that they claim that the source for both types came from China's Mt. Heng.

I understand from another source that H. mutabilis, and H. paramutabilis are very capable of hybridizing with other Hibiscus species. Hence we walk into the arena of naming plants People's names or perhaps more poetic or descriptive names rather than linking them to their origins.

I for one like to know where my plant comes from! I do not like to buy patented plants just for that reason...they seem to just make a plant just another technological creation!